Ronnie Le Drew
1947 - 2026
Members Tributes
He was the puppeteer best known for manipulating Zippy on the hit ITV series Rainbow. To many he was also an inspiring teacher, mentor and a good friend. Ronnie was born in Canada but came to the UK with his parents and sister in the early 1950’s.
It was in his early teenage years when he went to see a show at the Little Angel Theatre in London. He was so taken with the whole puppetry experience that he asked John Wright one of the co-founders of the Theatre if he could help out. This ‘helping out’ was the beginning of his very long Puppet career. From sweeping up to eventually becoming a puppeteer there. John Wright and Ronnie worked at the BBC making a film called ‘A Touch of Don Juan’ which later led him into working on the series Rainbow. Ronnie has worked on the Sooty Show, some of which was filmed at Harry Corbet’s home in Devon, and also worked for the Henson company on several projects such as Labyrinth and The Muppet Christmas Carol.
In 2016 Ronnie was appointed as President of the British Puppet Guild. He is possibly the most active and supportive president the Guild has ever had or will ever have. Attending Council meetings, Guild events as well as non-Guild events, Ronnie seemed to be at every puppet event there was. The people loved him, and he loved everyone. Such a kind individual who dedicated his whole life to puppetry which he loved so much. He will be sadly missed.
In 2019 Ronnie co-wrote his first book titled ‘Zippy and Me’. He would name drop the book at every opportunity he had, and if you were lucky enough to have bought a copy, he would even sign it for you.
Born 23 October 1947; died 27 July 2026
Below you will find tributes to Ronnie from his fellow Guild members.
Ronnies profile is in our Hall of Fame.
I first met Ronnie in the 1970s when I was a young teacher just arrived in London and very much on my own. As a puppet enthusiast I found my way, by way of the Educational Puppetry Association, to the Puppet Centre. Before I knew it, I was helping to run courses and found myself a member of various committees: EPA, Education & Therapy Unit and then BrUNIMA. The order of events is hazy after so long, but I know a major highlight was to find myself sitting next to an already eminent puppeteer like Ronnie. He was working on the Sooty Show, and I remember him learning his lines/squeaks as Sweep. I have followed his career since those days with great admiration. More recently, I was asked to be External Examiner for his London School of Puppetry, a great honour. Thanks, Ronnie, for all you did for puppetry and those aspiring to join you in that noble profession.
Chris Abbott
Ronnie, thank you for welcoming me into the puppetry community and for always sharing your knowledge, encouragement and kindness. Your passion for puppetry inspired so many people, including me. I appreciated our conversations, your generosity with your time, and the way you made people feel valued. You showed that puppetry is not just about the puppets, but about the friendships and connections created along the way. Thank you for being such an important part of my puppetry journey. You will be greatly missed, but your influence will continue through all those you have encouraged.
Sophie Beaumont (& Pandas)
When you walked in to a room it brightened up like the sun
Your personality was always with a smile, much laughter and fun.
Your history of puppets is astounding from strings to hand and much more
You’ve spent less time standing up and more lying on the floor
Your dedication, passion and expertise shone through 100%
The time every budding puppeteer you gave your time too was time well spent
We met in 1994 when I was 16 on The Pig Attraction, a TV Show, I was then in awe
More recently at Conventions and Puppet Events, I smiled when you walked through the door.
Zippy & Me, your fantastic biography was a brilliant godsend
Our chat on my Eyes & Teeth Podcast made me feel like I made another friend
Then you couldn’t keep me away from The British Puppet Guild 100th Celebrations when I was honoured to appear
It was always good to see that Ronnie Le Drew was once again here.
Although I will hold your memory in my heart and share your story until I grow old.
We now know at the end of the Rainbow that you Ronnie are The Pot of Gold xxx
Love your friend Steve Hewlett
A brilliant puppeteer, amazing performer and all-around brilliant man - a sentence summing up Ronnie Le Drew perfectly. He was loved by everyone, people who'd never heard of him became not only a fan of his work but also a friend of his, and to find out about his death was absolutely heartbreaking - more so than words could feasibly describe. On behalf of everyone - everyone you worked with, everyone you knew, everyone you met, thanks for everything. For helping us through day-to-day struggles, for keeping us all entertained and, above all, for being such a down-to-earth and approachable man, as well as a brilliant puppeteer. We'll all miss you, Ronnie, and we'll never forget you and all you ever did for and with us.
Eddie Barrett
Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Ronnie in person, his reputation speaks for itself — a warm, generous and inspiring President who was clearly adored by everyone in the Guild. My thoughts are with all who knew and loved him.
Best,
Ruth Feldman
The first time I met Ronnie
Who was this man I asked myself?
Somebody please give us a clue?
He was tall, well dressed and talked rather posh,
Someone called out, it’s Ronnie Le Drew
He gave out an aura just by the way that he stood
So I struck up a friendship as anyone would
He was clever, funny and never cross
So we made him our President, and he became the boss
He just loved meeting people whether young or old
He was a real gent, a diamond, with a heart of gold
His stories were contagious, a bit like catching the flu
Are we still talking about Ronnie Le Drew?
Yes we are and there’s more, but time won’t allow
So I doff my hat, and take my bow
As the trumpets sound in the heavenly band
Rest easy my friend, you’re in God’s hands.
Dave
Although I never met Ronnie in person, getting to know him over the last few years through the British Puppet Guild was a privilege. Growing up watching repeats of Rainbow and The Sooty Show, it was a lovely surprise, years later, to find myself crossing paths with Ronnie properly through the Guild. I still remember saying to my gran, "You'll never guess who our Guild president is... it's Zippy!", half picturing him sitting at the top of the Zoom call with a gavel. He had a real zest for life, always made time for people, and had a wonderful way of making everyone feel included. I'll always be grateful he pointed me towards the Guild, and receiving a Happy Birthday message from Ronnie and Zippy every year was something that never failed to make me smile. Those small things meant a great deal and said a lot about the sort of person he was.
Thank you for everything, Ronnie. The Guild won't be the same without you.
Lewis Wheelhouse
'Ronnie here. I’ve come to see how you are.'
Her eyes opened and she stared for a moment as if trying to work something out. Perhaps she was attempting to match what she saw in front of her to some almost forgotten memory. ‘Ronnie Le Drew,’ she murmured suddenly, and her eyes became the piercing darts I had known as a boy. She took a deep breath. ‘Good, better, best…Never let it rest,’ she whispered. ‘That’s right Joyce,’ I replied, almost chocking up at the thought that she had remembered the embarrassing schoolboy rhyme I had recited all those years ago when she’d demanded that I name my favourite poem. They were words that had never left me, however simplistic they sounded. Ronnie then recited the end of the poem. ‘Till your good is better and your better is best.’ Thank you Ronnie. Rest in Peace
Cath March. (An extract taken from ‘Zippy & Me’ page 358 when Ronnie visited his good friend Joyce Wren in hospital. Joyce was the first person Ronnie met when he started work at the Little Angel at the age of 15)
I felt incredibly honoured and privileged to have spent so much time with Ronnie Le Drew over the previous few years, attending puppetry events, hearing his stories, and watching people approach him for autographs or to buy his book. I was always impressed by his remarkable memory for production details, but even more by the kindness he showed everyone he met. I was deeply grateful for everything he did for me. His support, encouragement, advice, kindness, and inspiration meant more than I could express. It was a real honour to call him my friend. He was a true legend, remembered not only for the joy and laughter he gave so many people, but also for the generosity and warmth he showed those fortunate enough to know him.
Lee Thompson
My husband and I met Ronnie Le Drew in 2018. We attended his presentation at the Wolverhampton Art Gallery entitled “My Life with Puppets – the Story of Ronnie Le Drew.” We were fascinated to hear about his lifelong passion for puppetry. A lovely gentleman.
Wendy Priest
A legend and gentleman, he’ll be greatly missed. How fortunate we were that we got to share this lifetime with such an incredible human. A huge honour and privilege to have been mentored and work with him as well as getting to call him a friend. Thank you Ronnie for all your support, stories, inspiration, memories and joy.
Sending my condolences to Ronnie’s family and friends.
May his memory be a blessing.
David Burchhardt
I'm sure everyone who knew Ronnie will agree, he was a gentle, generous and witty man, as well as a skilful, sensitive and dedicated puppeteer. Everyone will have many fond and funny memories of Ronnie to treasure forever. I am so grateful I was able to interview and film Ronnie at the Little Angel Theatre, a beautiful reflective record of a puppetry legend.
Frances Barry
I was happy to see in Ronnie's book 'Zippy And Me' a couple of photos I took from the time we worked on Labyrinth back in 1985 I think this is the best one, Ronnie attended quite a few Comic Cons over the last few years and had 10+8 photos printed for signing of my pictures and that was good to see too. ........ It was a joy to know you Ronnie.
Dave Showler
Ronnie was a funny and caring friend and colleague whose absence leaves a huge gap but an incredible legacy, with an exceptional career that set a benchmark standard of quality. But he what he really did best was to make others feel valued, sharing his passion for puppetry and being generous to a fault as he kindly made time to be a mentor and supporter to all. Ronnie was a master not only at giving life to puppets and objects but to the people who came within his orbit, and I'll forever be grateful for the time I got to spend with him.
Mary Pollard
Ronnie was one of the most important puppetry influences in my life since I met him at the little Angel, almost fifty years ago, as a budding teenage puppeteer. Continuously enthusiastic and energetic, kind and generous with his time, unstintingly encouraging of others; he was also a source of endless puppet-related anecdotes, all of which he told with self-deprecating hilarity. Ronnie was always a joy to be around, and his love of puppets and of people was unparalleled. He put a big smile on the face of everyone that he -or his puppets- met.
Simon Buckley
Our dear friend, Ronnie, was a kind, beautiful man and a supremely talented puppeteer. His passion for puppet theatre was infectious, and he brought joy to all who knew him. Many would-be puppeteers were inspired by watching him perform, and his energy and enthusiasm were boundless. He was a brilliant teacher, not least in the artistry of the marionette, but he could pick up any type of puppet and instantly bring it to life in ways that would delight adults and children alike.
Ronnie had a generosity of spirit and always found time for others, offering advice, guidance, encouragement, and friendship. A puppeteer’s puppeteer, he would fill any room with warmth, lots of laughter, and many entertaining – often hilarious - anecdotes. Ronnie was widely known for performing Zippy on Rainbow, through which he helped shape countless childhoods, but Guild members will know of Ronnie’s close involvement with the Little Angel Theatre, the Curious School of Puppetry, the London School of Puppetry, Sooty and Sweep, Dr Doolittle, the Henson movies - Labyrinth, Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, The Dark Crystal. Although Ronnie became an icon of British puppetry, he was always approachable with a distinctive voice and a warm smile. He would give total commitment, whether working on a major film, a reading week in a school, or performing Muffin the Mule at an old people’s home. Whenever time allowed, he continued to perform his one-man Snitchity Titch Show for children. Ronnie was a joy to be around. He was widely loved and appreciated, and a wonderful President of the British Puppet Guild. His legacy in puppet theatre will live on.
David Currell
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I am deeply saddened to hear that Ronnie Le Drew passed away recently. For as long as I can remember, I have been a fan of Rainbow as well as the other puppetry TV shows and films that Ronnie worked on and was delighted to meet him in person in January 2023, soon after I joined the Puppet Guild. I first met Ronnie at an Annual Guild lunch in Cheltenham and was amazed by Ronnie’s marioneting skills and his magical ability to bring his puppets to life. Ronnie was charismatic, witty and an expert entertainer who enthused his audiences. When we met up, Ronnie always found the time to speak with me and provide encouragement and inspire me to develop my own puppetry skills. Every time I have attended a Guild event or puppetry convention, I really enjoyed my conversations with Ronnie and learnt a lot more about puppetry from him.
It is with deepest sympathy that I send my condolences to all of Ronnie’s family.
Christie Duffell
I remember, even when I was a little tyke, I had an infatuation with puppets - especially the classic shows which my parents had on DVD. It was on one fateful day so long ago I can’t remember, i saw the screen glow with one of my new idols - Zippy. His antics, his tantrums, his fun zippy mouth, all with the great combination of Roy Skelton’s unmatched vocals with Ronnie's effortlessly wonderful puppetry culminates in a character that embodies small children in a way they can almost see themselves in him. It was maybe a long while later, when I was a larger tyke of 11 years, I was at the wonderful Great Con-junction (where I first began my guild journey) and what my dad pointed out on the stall next to the one manned by Lee in the café astounded me -
It was the real Zippy. And the real Ronnie.
From the very moment I knew Ronnie was a good egg; I of course got his wonderful book and a photo I cherish over a year since the day. Upon learning his life story, I never saw Zippy the same, but in the best way imaginable. Now i knew just how much Ronnie was Zippy and Zippy was Ronnie. He also became like a mentor to me, recommending me to a few bystanders at Coventry, and genuinely being a wonderful human being. I'm so very glad he was able to have a wonderfully fulfilled life and was still surrounded by those he loved and who loved him.
Finley
Ronnie was a great support to the Young People's Puppet Theatre. Always generous with his time and energy, he helped us develop our training materials for new project leaders and came back to teach on our training course most years. Thanks to him, our project leaders have taught almost 5,000 children across the East of England to love and operate short-string marionettes. He is sorely missed, but leaves such a wonderful legacy in the generations coming after him. Thank you, Ronnie.
Caitlin Duschenes (YPPT)
The two Karens from The Puppet Tree in West Runton are amongst the many in the puppet world who were touched by Ronnie Le Drew’s amazing warmth and wit. He was amongst the first to welcome us into the fold and always took a genuine interest in what we were up to! We know that Ronnie has inspired and mentored many many budding puppet makers and puppeteers and are thankful to have been amongst them, and to have had the opportunity to get to know him a little. His influence will continue to be evident in all we do with the families and groups we work with.
Karen & Karen (The Puppet Tree)
An interview with Steve Hewlett at The Puppet Tree for Radio Norfolk, where he talks about his time spent with Ronnie.
Thank you Ronnie for all your kindness, support, and love of puppetry. I loved Zippy as a child, and it was a joy meeting Ronnie at my very first Spring Lunch in 2024. Since then, I have loved hearing Ronnie's stories, seeing him work, and training with him at the Harlequin Puppet Theatre in 2025. Since then, I started to look at more marionette training and was looking forward to spending time with Ronnie 1-2-1. He was so excited, as I know he continually loved to share his love of puppetry. I love how you have always worked in different styles and forms of puppetry, often introducing puppets at the Spring Lunches as 'a little bit of show and tell, just a little something' and capturing a whole room's attention with your performance. Thank you Ronnie, it was a joy to see you work, and share your knowledge and time with us all. Samuel x '
Samuel Pearson
Knowing Ronnie was truly an honour. Like so many, I grew up watching Rainbow and never would have thought I'd grow up to know the man behind Zippy! Since the first time we met, Ronnie, always spoke as if we were old friends. I'd see him at a puppetry convention or a guild lunch a year or so later and he somehow still remembered my name, and that has stuck with me. Ronnie was always one of the best parts of attending puppetry conventions and Guild events. The joy that Ronnie and his characters brought people was infectious. He wore such fantastic Zippy jumpers and shirts, those were often enough to make people smile alone! Every so often you'd hear Sweep's voice squeaking across the room, followed by lots of laughter. Of course, he'd get those book sale plugs in where he could, with a cheeky glint in his eye. I attended a few of his talks at conventions, and he was such a brilliant storyteller, I never wanted those talks to end. I remember that was the first time I had seen him perform Zippy since I was a kid, and it was a magical moment. Everyone in the room was captivated. It was truly an honour to watch him perform with puppets and marionettes, a master of his art. When you were with Ronnie, you knew you were in the presence of a legend but it always felt like talking to an old friend. Thank you Ronnie, it was truly an honour to have known you.
Hannah Walters
